Digital Copyright Canada

When I first heard a group outside of the Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) or Creative Commons movement use the word "CopyLeft", I thought they were simply using the term incorrectly. (See: Independent authors just wanting a little respect... from fellow creators and collective societies from 2006)

In the FLOSS movement it means something similar to ShareAlike with Creative Commons: the license says the copyrighted work can be freely shared (without additional permission/payment) as long as any derivatives are equally shared. The licensing model is not opposed to copyright in any way, and focuses on material rewards in the form of additional creative works rather than royalties.

I continue to hear the term "copy left" used, sometimes by those who consider it a positive term, but more often by people who are trying to use the term in a derogatory manner. In this context the term is not being used to reference to a licensing model, but a political philosophy.

This suggests that the term "copy left" references a liberal creators' rights philosophy, and the "copy right" refers to a conservative creators' rights philosophy. It is only a coincidence that those on the "copy left" also support CopyLeft style licensing.

(Including full article here -- configuration issue at IT World Canada. Read full article on IT World Canada's blog >> )

The third issue of This Week in Vancouver has been published.

It includes the following:

Jesse Betteridge and Kris Best conducted a copyright panel at Anime Evolution at UBC, which was a huge success with lots of participation. A recording of the panel (about an hour long) is available at http://www.zannen.ca/copyright_panel.mp3.

An article by Kathleen Lau for ComputerWorld Canada (29 May 2008) documents that launching of the Canadian Intellectual Property Council (CIPC). The CIPC is made up of 14 Canadian businesses from a variety of industries including Microsoft Canada, Cisco Systems Canada, eBay Canada, and Pfizer Canada. This council was created in part to oppose the Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright (BCBC) which includes organizations like Google, YaHoo Canada, the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Association of Internet Providers (as well as a number of phone, cable, and broadcast undertaking companies and associations). The BCBC released their position paper in February and called for a balanced approach to copyright. The CIPC, in contrast, is calling for changes to the law to privilege a very specific subset of businesses using a subset of business models.

Read full article on IT World Canada's BLOG »

The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics has released a report which includes:

The parliamentary Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics:

• deplores the fact that, at the request of Treasury Board, as of April 1, 2008 officials are no longer updating the Coordination of Access to Information Requests System (CAIRS), a central database for all requests filed with the government under the Access to Information Act;

• demands that the Conservative government reinstate this tool, which promotes transparency and accountability; and

• encourages the Conservative government to make this database available online and free of charge.

I agree, and was in fact surprised that a party who campaigned on accountability and transparency of government would abandon rather than expand this important system.

From this weeks Hill Times:

"Canada's federal Lobbyists Registrar Michael Nelson has delivered a stern warning to federal lobbyists, saying that they "place themselves in jeopardy" of breaching the Lobbyists Code of Conduct if they are both registered to lobby and working on political fundraising or electoral campaigns."

February 24 through March 1 marks the annual Freedom to Read Week as promoted by the Book and Periodical Council. It is a very well intentioned event meant to educate the public about the dangers of censorship and to promote freedom of expression.

Julianna Yau has posted the platform from DAMIC.

I am curious what other people think, but it looks to me to be about a fear of modern technology, and an attempt to wipe out alternative methods of production, distribution and funding of creativity.

Raju Mudhar, Entertainment Reporter for the Toronto Star, reports on the copyright debate.

ACTRA has been lobbying for 10 years for the Copyright Act to be updated to ratify the WIPO treaties, because they help establish the rights of performers. The union would particularly like to see a right of remuneration – a guarantee that performers will get paid for work in new forms of media.

Please read what ACTRA said, and then go to the actual WIPO Internet treaties and compare for yourself.

With all evidence now looking like a spring election is unlikely, you can expect lobbying efforts to increase until Ottawa actually introduces their promised new copyright legislation.

The Writers' Union of Canada, who unfortunately I do not see as being friends of writers, is planning a press conference in Ottawa on April 16th to push their view of copyright upon the Government. Unfortunately their view is probably not in line with what most people who read and contribute to this site consider to be a positive change.

The CopyCamp website has been updated with answers to many questions, providing more information for those thinking of attending this event in Toronto from September 28 to the 30'th. This event will bring together people from the arts community, the Free/Libre and Open Source Software community, and others interested in creativity and copyright together in one conference. The full list of questions includes:

• What is CopyCamp?
  
• What is an unconference? What is a camp? Is this one?
  
• Who is running CopyCamp?
  
• Is it free? Is it expensive?